Fox In the Hen House
I tell you, like a fox in a hen house, those tobacco companies can’t resist taking sly, underhanded steps to get what they want.
Today, their tactics are more subtle than these post-war ads using cute little tykes to sell their wares.
The Stealth Campaign
The last few years some of us, perhaps, were beginning to fall for tobacco company PR tactics, such as making large donations to charities, changing their name and conducting costly image campaigns. It seemed that Big Tobacco might really turn over a new leaf–albeit focusing on building smoking habits in more exotic lands.
But what really has been going on, from 1998 through 2004, is a stealth campaign to gain more die-hard smokers.
The Scam
The nicotine levels of cigarettes are tested by smoking machines. Tobacco companies found a way of fooling these machines by putting tiny holes in the filters that dilute the smoke. Of course, they knew well that smokers would cover these holes with their fingers or lips while smoking. As a result, most of us have been getting 10 percent more nicotine–the substance that’s so blasted addictive.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced these findings just this week. In 2004, 166 of the 179 cigarette brands tested for this phenomenon were found to be in the highest range of nicotine content. Astoundingly, 73 of these brands are designated “light” or “ultra-light.”
And 70 Percent of American smokers want to quit! Thanks a lot, Big Tobacco. I don’t want to fund any more of these deceptive tactics by buying tobacco products. Do you?
